Don't Make Enemies Unnecessarily
by Caitriona3
Summary: Winter Shock #1 - Darcy and Jane meet someone during a bit of an emergency while they are in Tromso. Goes AU sometime during the Avengers, so NOT Dark World or Winter Soldier compliant.


_Author's Note – My first work on this pairing…we'll see how it goes! Nothing belongs to me if its from anything official._

"How do we always end up in the middle of these things?" Darcy muttered as she finally managed to pick the lock on her handcuffs. She moved as fast as she silently could to start getting Jane loose.

Jane blinked at her in surprise. "It's not my fault," she whispered, "and where did you learn to do that?"

"Shop class," Darcy replied distractedly. "You'd be surprised at what those guys know and are willing to teach a girl." Once Jane was free, the brunette looked around. "Now what?"

"I don't know," Jane shrugged. "I was kind of hoping you had a plan."

"My plan was I didn't intend to be shackled and helpless when Goon One and Goon Two came back," Darcy told her. "Beyond that? I'm open to suggestions."

"Set me free and I'll get you out."

Both women turned towards the heretofore silent third prisoner. The lanky figure stared at them from shadowed blue eyes. Darcy moved closer even though Jane tried to hold her back. "Yeah?" Darcy challenged. "And we're just supposed to trust that?"

"You might get out the door, but you'll never get past the first patrol," he pointed out in an emotionless, direct way. He focused on her. "I can get you out of the building."

Darcy pursed her lips and glanced back at Jane. Jane shook her head. "Darcy, no!" she hissed out. "We don't know this guy!"

"You got any sudden bursts of brilliance, boss lady?" Darcy demanded in a hushed voice. "'Cause I've got nothing and those goons will be back sooner or later. We have no idea if anyone even knows we're missing or if they're looking for us at all. If you've got any ideas, now is seriously the time." Jane bit her lip, but remained silent. Darcy gave a slow nod. "Right, then." She moved until she stood directly in front of the guy and her eyes bored into his. "If this turns around and bites me in the ass or hurts _her_," she pointed to Jane, "in any way? I don't care if I have to fly down from Heaven, borrow time from Purgatory, or storm out of hell…I will find a way to carve the balance out of you."

He blinked at her vehemence, and a flicker of interest entered his previously distant gaze. The shadowed eyes shifted to look at Jane and then returned to Darcy. "I promise," he said quietly, but with a new intensity, "I promise I will get you out of here."

Darcy drew a deep breath and began picking the locks on his cuffs. She hesitated for a moment as she realized his left hand seemed to have some metallic coating or something, but the guarded expression stealing into her eyes prompted her to continue without questions. She stepped back as she finished and nodded. "Darcy," she introduced herself and then pointed at her companion. "Jane."

He took in the information with one slow blink. His mouth opened a time or two before he huffed out a breath. "Bucky," he said finally, though a confused frown wrinkled his brow.

"Nice to meet you, Bucky," Darcy gave him a quick smile. "How about we get the hell out of here?"

Bucky's mouth twitched like it was trying to remember how to smile. "Let's go."

Darcy never really wanted to remember the details of the next half hour. Bucky led them through the compound, trying to avoid detection and dealing with patrols when necessary. It had been fast and brutal, nothing pretty about it, but in the end, it saved her and Jane, so she wasn't going to quibble. It turned out they were no longer in town, but Bucky managed to lead them back without being detected.

"Tell me again," Darcy sighed tiredly as she looked at Jane. "Why are we in Tromso?"

Jane stumbled in her weariness. She did not even argue when Bucky swung her up into a princess carry and looked at Darcy for directions. The brunette led him to the labs – she was so not going back to the house where they were snatched. There was no reason to make it that easy for the goon squad.

Security frowned as they approached, and one of the suits stepped forward, a hand on his weapon. "I need identification."

"Oh, like hell!" Darcy snarled. She marched straight up to the guy and poked a finger into his chest. "Look – I am sick and tired of this. Jane and I were abducted right under your noses and hauled off to some hidden compound north of here. This guy is the only reason we got out and back in safe, sound, and more or less healthy condition. You didn't do your job, and he stepped up to the plate. He only agreed to get us out of the compound, but he brought us all the way back without a single damn argument or complaint, so I don't want to hear it." The guy opened his mouth and she poked him again. "Don't you start with me! I'm tired, Jane's exhausted, and Bucky's with us. You got a problem with that? Go call your bosses stateside and get the hell out of my way."

The suit gaped at her in shock, but she just led Bucky into the labs and up to one of the lounges. He settled Jane on one of the couches as Darcy all but collapsed into an armchair. "I don't even get it. Why the hell were we a target for some splinter group in frickin' Norway?"

He shook his head as he took a seat nearby, but one that allowed him to keep an eye on all of the entrances. "They never said anything," he replied in a low voice, his eyes flickering over Jane's already drowsy face, "not even when they brought you in."

"Great," Darcy grumbled. "Go halfway around the planet to look at some funky lightshow and we get abducted. How is this my life?"

"Funky light show?" he repeated.

She huffed out a laugh. "Doc Jane is an astrophysicist. Funky lights in the sky are her thing."

"And you?"

"A lowly assistant," she shrugged. "I do paperwork and make sure she gets food, sleep, and sunshine." Her gaze turned to him. "So, what about you?"

Bucky frowned, a look of confusion filtering through his eyes as he stared into space for a moment. "I don't know," he admitted slowly. "A soldier, I know that much…but I'm not sure what else." He looked back at her. "It's…my memories…they don't make much sense."

Darcy sat back and considered him for a long moment. He was obviously dangerous, given how he managed to get them out of the compound, but he remained true to his word. Even more, he stayed with them, guiding them back to town when he could have moved faster, and safer, on his own. Finally she gave him a slow nod. "Well, I guess we'll just have to keep you until they do."


End file.
